Phew! I managed to squeeze this chapter out before I leave tomorrow. Sorry that it's a bit shorter. I didn't have much time to write it, but I hope you enjoy it! See you all when I get back! Leave reviews plz! :)
One specific dream from my past invaded my mind that night, but this time it was different than any I had before. There was another male saber who was fighting with my dad. He kept saying 'He is my son, not yours!' over and over again. I couldn't make sense of this because I had only ever known one saber to be my dad. The fact that this other saber was claiming that I was HIS son really made me confused, but also curious as to why he would say that.
I remembered the dream so clearly after I woke up and couldn't help wonder if it actually happened or if my imagination was getting the better of me. I would much rather be dreaming about Shira and a possible future with her. To my surprise, she had actually snuggled up next to me while I was sleeping. It was still dark out, but I knew I wouldn't fall back asleep. Gently, I rose and quietly walked out of the cave, careful not to wake her.
The sky was so clear that night. You could see every star in the sky and the moon beamed down on the river, creating a beautiful glow on the water. I sat on a nearby cliff edge and just stared up into the night sky. My only thoughts were of my mother and if she was looking back at me. I missed her terribly and I knew she missed me just as much. I started to feel a tear come to my eye, which was something that never happened to me.
"Diego?" I heard a voice behind me. It was Shira.
"Oh, hey." I said trying to cover up my sadness.
"Are you ok? I woke up and you were gone."
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." I lied. "Just had another one of my dreams."
"You wanna talk about it?"
"Nah, I'm alright. It was just a dream." I sighed then said, "Can I ask you something though?"
"Of course."
"Did you know your mother? I mean, do you remember spending time with her?"
A sad expression formed on her face. I knew immediately I shouldn't have said anything. "Not really. She died when I was very young. Why?"
"Well, it's just that my mom died when I was a cub too. I never got to know her. I can't even remember what she looked like."
"Was that the dream you had?" she asked with a concerned look.
"Not tonight, but other nights yes. I just really miss her."
I was beginning to feel moistness in my eyes again, but I forced myself to hold it back so I wouldn't look too soft in front of her. All of this opening up wasn't like me. I couldn't explain all the emotion I was suddenly feeling. It just came over me like a giant wave sweeping me out to sea. I was drowning in emotion, but I did my best not to show it. As a saber, I was supposed to be rigid and tough all the time. Weakness and emotion weren't supposed to affect me like they were that night. It was the first time I actually ever felt "soft", but in a way I liked that feeling. It made me realize that you can be tough and aggressive but still have a side to you that is fragile and weak. Of course, I try to keep that side of me to a minimum. I snapped back to reality and looked at her.
"By the way Shira, I'm really sorry about your mom. It's a shame we didn't know them."
"I'm sorry too. Seems like we have more in common than we thought." She gave a small smile to me, and I returned one.
"Yeah." I continued watching the sky for another minute or so, then something I really wasn't expecting happened.
She gently gave me a small lick on my cheek, which took me by surprise.
Stunned, I said "What was that for?"
She had a dreamy, sexy look in her eyes and said "Oh, nothing. Just trying to cheer you up a little, softie."
Smiling, I said "Well it definitely worked. Thank you, kitty." I returned her lick with one of my own.
We walked back to the cave together to get a few hours of sleep in, both of us feeling happier. I could tell she felt something for me now, but how deep it was I didn't know. Even though we had only known each other for two days, we both had strong feelings for each other. Of course neither of us would admit our true feelings out loud because of our pride. I just hoped that she felt the same way about me as I did for her. As long as she was by my side, I felt complete. As long as she was there, nothing else mattered. I dozed back to sleep, feeling her warm pelt against mine, and finally enjoying life.
